Good trade for the Caps, though in my mind signals that the end is near for Zilla.
I hope that we can resign Huet before the end of the season. I keep checking TSN in the hope McPhee pulled off a similar deal for a physical defensemen.

The Montreal Canadiens have traded goaltender Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals for a second-round draft pick.

Huet, 32, has a 21-12-6 record and 2.56 goals-against average this season with a .916 save percentage.

With Huet dealt, the Canadiens have turned to 20-year-old Carey Price as their third starting goaltender in as many seasons. Ironically, Huet became the team's new starter in 2006, when general manager Bob Gainey dealt former Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Jose Theodore to Colorado on the eve of the trading deadline.

Huet is in the final year of a two-year contract and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Related InfoCanadiens call up forward Grabovski To accomodate the move, the Canadiens have called up goaltender Jaroslav Halak from the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League.

NHL on TSN Analysis

Pierre McGuire: "I'm not surprised at all. This is Carey Price's team going forward. Internally (the Habs) knew they were not going to win with Cristobal Huet."

Keith Jones on Huet: "I'm shocked. I don't think they got enough for Huet.. The Montreal Canadiens have had succeess going with rookie goaltender in the past.. But I'm surprised the market was so small for Huet."

Bruce has the authority. When Bruce makes the decision, it's a Redskins decision.

The Capitals also land Matt Cooke and Sergei Federov. You have to hand it to McPhee and Leonsis, they're intent on making a run this season. I hope we get to see Federov and Ovechkin on the ice at the same time - that would be neat.

If we don't move Kolzig, I guess Johnson would have to go to Hershey. It's a tough situation, because Johnson has actually been playing pretty well and probably deserves to stay in Washington, but you can't just dump a guy like Kolzig cold. It will be interesting to see how they handle this.

Steve Spurrier III wrote:JansenFan, any opinion on the value of Theo Ruth?

He's a defensive defenseman with average skill levels and outstanding leadership/character traits. He's just a freshman in college, so you can't really tell how or if he will develop an NHL game, but he was a second round selection last year and thought to be a decent propsect.

Steve Spurrier III wrote:If we don't move Kolzig, I guess Johnson would have to go to Hershey. It's a tough situation, because Johnson has actually been playing pretty well and probably deserves to stay in Washington, but you can't just dump a guy like Kolzig cold. It will be interesting to see how they handle this.

I think the team realized they kind of had two of the same guy in Kolzig and Johnson. They have some younger guys in the system, but they don't necessarily have a guy to take over for Olie should he hang 'em up. Plus., they have a good goaltender to keep Olie fresh while making the playoff push, and if something should happen, someone to fill in with minimal drop off. Johnny has been fairly inconsistent this season, so I look at this more as a replacement for Johnson rather than Olie.

Steve Spurrier III wrote:What are the chances these new guys will be with the team tonight?

I'd be surprised to see any of them tonight.

Sir_Monk wrote:I wonder if the Caps have any intentions of signing Federov past this season or is he a rental to fill the void with Nylander being out.

I would guess this is a short-term solution. Next season would be number 18 at age 39. Although, some guys do play 20 or more seasons.

RIP 21

"Nah, I trust the laws of nature to stay constant. I don't pray that the sun will rise tomorrow, and I don't need to pray that someone will beat the Cowboys in the playoffs." - Irn-Bru

NEWARK, Feb. 29 -- If Cristobal Huet was nervous in net, it never showed.

Huet made the big stops when he needed to Friday night. He steered potentially dangerous rebounds out of harm's way, and he even sent a couple of opponents back to the bench muttering to themselves.

Yes, Huet was that good in his first start for his new team, stopping all 18 shots the New Jersey Devils flung toward him to lift the Washington Capitals to a thorough 4-0 win before 16,580 restless fans at Prudential Center.

It was Washington's first shutout since October and Huet's first since Jan. 29 -- which, coincidentally, came against the Capitals, who picked up the 32-year old at the trade deadline on Tuesday.

"It was an ideal start, I would say," Huet said. "But we can't stop here."

Mike Green and Alexander Semin each scored on the power play for the Capitals, who also got goals from Viktor Kozlov and Donald Brashear. Sergei Fedorov, also making his Washington debut, notched an assist, won 10 of 13 faceoffs and was a dynamic presence on the power play.

The victory was the Capitals' second in a row and gave them 30 wins for the first time since the 2002-03 season. But more important, it pulled them within three points of the Carolina Hurricanes for the Southeast Division lead. Martin Brodeur and New Jersey, meantime, lost for the first time in regulation in 10 games (7-1-2).

"Carolina lose yesterday, and it was good for us," said Alex Ovechkin, who notched an assist. "We use our chance. We must continue [moving] up."

But while the Capitals celebrated Huet's shutout, Ovechkin's goal drought reached a career-long seven games. He still leads the NHL with 48 goals, but has not scored one since Feb. 13 in Atlanta.

"I'm not concerned, but I think he is," Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "He's pressing a little bit. You can tell. He's fanning on a couple of shots. It will come. You can't stop a guy like that forever."

Ovechkin added: "What can I do? I still have chances, I had a breakaway and I didn't score. It happens. I just don't try to think about it."

The victory also was a bit of vindication for Huet, the Montreal Canadiens' No. 1 goaltender for most of the past two seasons before being dealt to Washington for a second-round pick in the 2009 draft. Huet, however, won't be in net Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Boudreau said Olie Kolzig, the Capitals' unquestioned No. 1 until Huet's arrival, will get the nod.

"Huet made the saves he was supposed to make," Boudreau said. "But I'm going to come back with Olie because Olie was great in the 4-1 win" over Minnesota on Tuesday.

When the Capitals and Devils met on Sunday, Brodeur turned away 37 shots to frustrate the Capitals and carry New Jersey to a 2-1 overtime victory.

This time, it was all Capitals.

After a scoreless first period, Huet stopped Zach Parise on a breakaway with a brilliant pad save. Then moments later, Fedorov made his presence felt.

The 38-year old, who was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a prospect, sent a behind-the-back pass from the boards to Semin, who tapped a pass to Green.

Green, already the NHL's leading scorer among defensemen, increased his total by snapping Semin's dish over Brodeur's shoulder at 11 minutes 27 seconds of the second period. Green's 17th goal of the season gave the Capitals all they would need.

"He brings experience out there with him," Green said of Fedorov. "He's sick. There was one time he was behind the net and I was out in front and he put the puck between his legs out to me. That just doesn't happen."

Earlier in the pivotal second period, Brodeur poke-checked the puck off the stick of Ovechkin as the all-star broke in virtually alone.

Washington won't have long to savor its win over one of the league's hottest teams. The Capitals have another huge contest Saturday against Toronto in which they're expected to receive another boost: Matt Cooke, the third NHL player General Manager George McPhee acquired for his injury-ravaged team, is expected to make his debut, perhaps on the second line with Fedorov and Semin.

"We just want to make the new guys feel good and feel that they are welcome here and they are part of the team," Brashear said. "We need them. We don't have time to waste getting comfortable."

I was just reading about last night's game. A shutout, the first one since the second game of the season, and a great assist from one of the game's all-time best. McPhee looks like a genius (so far).
Also nice to see the Caps not relying on Alex Ovechkin to carry them.
Here's hoping for Washington Capitals playoff hockey.